How to Clean and Re Tin Your Soldering Iron

In this video I show you how to clean and re-tin your soldering iron tips. Proper car of soldering iron tips is a must for optimal performance of your iron. Poor heat transfer is the result of dirty, oxidized soldering iron tips. Here is how to fix that problem.

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Credits:
🤘 Theme Song: "Extremes" by the Lemming Shepherds
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Public Domain

Equipment:

🔷 MX-2000 tripod

🔷 Clamp Lamps

[roystudds]

This couldn’t have come at a better time for me as I am having a nightmare doing a soldering job I did perfectly well a week ago, now I know it isn’t me going mad, I just hadn’t considered I needed to clean my soldering iron better. Thank you so much. Roy.

[newfenrisrailroad]

Hey Ron will be adding this to my folder on tool care as mine is new. Tks again for more tips of the modeling world.

[TheHoghed]

Ron, watched your previous video and it made a world of difference in my soldering of my jig built switches. Thanks.

[brucegiroux]

Great information that most of us can use right away. Thank you Ron.

[stepheneckles]

Had my tip get oxidized and didn't have anything to clean it with but I have a rotary wire brush for my drill and maybe I just got lucky but I got it cleaned well enough to use it. Thanks for your video I will be cleaning all my tips soon

[jolliemark]

Always good tips....thanks for sharing....Jack

[AgedAxes]

Great video!! Good reminder to keep my tip clean!!

[reinaldopuig]

Hi, your video is very interesting, I didn't know about the use of solid sal ammoniac for when the tip of the soldering iron starts to rust.
Many years ago I saw in a workshop that they covered the tip of the soldering iron with silver, that is, with a small torch they melted the silver on the tip, it was always shiny after soldering. I think it is a good option although the silver is a bit expensive. Thanks.

[stevearnold]

Nice video Ron. Very informative and helpful.

[mandbhomestead]

Thanks for great video on soldering iron maintenance. I did not know that block existed. I am going to check it out. Thanks for sharing. Ken

[jimtedesco]

Thanks for a really useful soldering tip, Ron.

[scotty]

i just bought a soldering iron for first time and tried using it a few times (though i failed to fuse what i was attempting to) I wanted to know how to clean it. i keep seeing vids or articles using special sponges and other things i dont presently have.

[algum]

my question is does it matter what type of solder is used as protection when you finish soldering? we use non led solder on regular work.
also i cannot seem to find solid sal ammoniac in my country. Its just ground for food and even that is non stocked.
i used drill with sanding tip and lightly sanded oxidation from cold soldering tips, hopefully not damaging tips too much.
but soldering iron we use just melted the tips after few days of use (jbc brand)

[mpelagio-engenharia]

I just clean with the sponge but sometimes, if I need better cleanning, I insert the hot tip into a Solder Paste and instantly it cleans the tip...

[davidmuse]

Get tip on the soldering irons tips, my are in pretty bad shape and need some care, this will help.
Thank you Ron.
Muse

[jbmorrow]

Great info as usual - what about the other end of the tip (in the handle) - do you clean it or rely on the contact of the fastening to transfer the heet to the tip?

[manjuok]

I want to know what can i do with my soldering iron because it is turned all copper, the tip is the only part which is blackish and everything else is just copper

Do i have to get a new solder?
I have a solder whose tip cannot be removed and is smaller and cheaper than yours

[waynewagoner]

Hi Ron, Good tips, I have the same model weller iron and need new tips, where do you get yours? Thank You

[watermains]

If there are links, I sure am not seeing them :(

[rdanscale]

Very Good Tips to point Ron.. If possible can you point out some Really Good Fume Extractors that a person can Buy outside of Amazon I'm not a Amazon shopper Hopefully there are Alternatives why I asked if you can point out Some you've probably done Quite a more Soldering than I although I did do my Share when I was in RC Cars Soldering the Motors and for the hooking up the Batteries.. I did this Work several years ago in a Garage the Ventilation was in abundance but now living in an apartment it's a bit hard.. that why I basically have a small sized Layout and I'm using KATO Unitrack and there power Joiners.. But that's all I wanted to Ask someday when I have the space to Grow a Garage perhaps I hope to have a Layout like you and other Great layouts I've seen on the Tube.!

Take Care & Happy Halloween 🎃